Film Review: Greenberg

I watched Greenberg as part of a double feature coupled with the Cohen Brother’s Oscar nominated film A Serious Man – both of which contained similar themes and atmospheres – the former being a better feature. With that said, from the director of the quirky comedy The Life Aquatic (Noah Baumbach), Greenberg is an interesting exploration into a troubled man’s life. Ben Stiller stars as Roger Greenberg who has just been released from a mental institution and travels from New York City back to his hometown in Los Angeles to housesit for his noticeably more successful brother. During this time he plans to “do nothing” and in the process, he develops a relationship with Florence, his brother’s younger assistant.

As in many of Stiller’s films he is portrayed as an awkward and hopeless character, but as Roger Greenberg, he has a slightly darker side: he has an alcohol problem, he treats Florence with complete disrespect, and he spends his time writing various letters of complaint to companies such as Starbucks and the Pet Taxi service.  It is clear that he is lacking in social skills, as his ex-girlfriend has no interest in rekindling their relationship and most of his friends/ex band members (with the exception of Ivan played by Rhys Ifans, perhaps most memorably seen in Notting Hill) are somewhat resentful of his decision not to take the record deal that was offered to them many years ago – a decision which he clearly regrets. At one point in the film he desolately notes that “life is wasted on people” and admires Florence’s comment that “hurt people, hurt people”.

Like A Serious Man, the film ends quite dramatically, but on a good note – two dissimilar characters overcome their loneliness… it is a somewhat slow, but witty film.